Labour and Employment

UNORGANISED SECTOR

• As per the Unorganised Workers Social Security Act, 2008, “unorganised workers” means a home based worker, self-employed worker or a wage worker in the unorganised sector.

NSSO 2004-2005 DATA

• The Government has set up Welfare Funds for providing welfare measures to the beedi, non-coal mine and cine workers.
• The Building and other Construction Works (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1996 also has provision for setting of Welfare Board/Fund by every State to provide social security to construction workers.
• Some States like Kerala have constituted welfare funds for specific categories of workers in the unorganised sector.
• The Government enacted the Unorganised Workers Social Security Act, 2008. The Act provides for constitution of National Social Security Board at the Central level and State Social Security Boards at the State level which shall recommend formulation of social security schemes for unorganised workers.
• The Salient Features of The Act are:
• Section 5 of the Act envisages constitution of National Social Security Board under the chairmanship of Union Minister for Labour and Employment with Member Secretary and 34 nominated members representing Members of Parliament, unorganized workers, employers of unorganized workers, civil society, Central Ministries and State Governments.
• The functions of National Board, include to recommend to the Central Government suitable schemes for different sections of unorganised workers; monitor the implementation of schemes and advise the Central Government on matters arising out of the administration of the Act.
• Section 6 has provision for constitution of similar Boards at the State level.
• Section 9 provides for setting up of constitution of Workers Facilitation Centre to disseminate information on social security schemes, facilitate the workers to obtain registration from district administration and enrolment of unorganized workers.
• The National Social Security Board was constituted on 18th August, 2009 and met twice to consider formulation of social security schemes for unorganised workers. The Board recommended that social security schemes, viz. Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY) providing health and maternity benefits, Janshree Bima Yojana (JBY) providing for death and disability cover and Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS) providing old age pension may be extended to certain categories of unorganised workers.
• A Task Force was constituted on Domestic Workers which has since submitted its report.